Bowling ball



v SePt' 21, 1965 J. L. vlcKERY 3,207,514

Filed Nov. 17, 1961 INVENTOR. BY .JOEPH L.\IIC,KERY

United States Patent O 3,207,514 BOWLING BALL Joseph L. Vickery, 3160 NW. 101st St., Miami 47, Fla- Filed Nov. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 153,012 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-63) This invention relates generally to sporting equipment and is more particularly directed to bowling balls.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a bowling ball which is transparent with designs interposed therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling ball made of a clear plastic material such as Lucite and the like, and a design originating at the exact center of the bowling ball with branches emanating radially therefrom with designs such as stars, fiowers, etc. mounted on the ends of the branches.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling ball made of transparent plastic material with a centrally disposed ornament which may be weighted to conform with A.B.C. standards and a lace-like framework for supporting other ornaments as well as the name of the owner of the bowling ball, which name and ornaments would be viewable from all sides of the bowling ball.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an ornament to be molded into the center of a bowling ball with branches for supporting other ornaments extending radially outwardly of the ornament and one such branch extending beyond the periphery of the bowling ball for supporting the ornament properly in the mold when the bowling ball is being poured.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a plastic bowling ball which is transparent with an ornamental design interposed therein that is symmetrically disposed whereby the proper balance of the bowling ball is maintained or adjusted as desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection With the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a bowling ball embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of a different design or ornamentation embedded in the bowling ball.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the design shown in FIG- URE l prior to being molded in the bowling ball.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral refers to a bowling ball manufactured of clear plastic with an ornament 11 embedded therein. The design of the ornament 11 is shown by Way of illustration only inasmuch as any design or ornamental features may be used as desired. In this instance, the design consists of a star 12 from which extended a plurality of symmetrically disposed elongated support members on Wire supports 13. At the end of each of the Wire supports 13 there is secured a star 14 smaller than the centrally disposed star 12. The star 12 may be weighted, if so desired in accordance with A.B.C. standards, while the stars 14 and the wire supports 13 are very light in Weight. Extending from the centrally disposed star 12 is a second elongated support member or Wire support 15 which is longer than the wire supports 14. The wire support 15 is used for supporting the ornament 11 in a mold during the molding process in the manufacture of the bowling ball 10.

In the molding of the bowling ball 10, the ornament 11 is placed within the mold and supported therein by the extended Wire support 15. The wire support 15 extends through a bore in the mold and secured therein With the ornament 12 juxtapositioned in the exact center of the mold and the ornaments 14 held in symmetric fashion thereabout. After the bowling ball 10 has been molded, the ball 10 is measured to fit a persons hand grip and a thumb hole 16 is drilled at the position the wire support 15 extends through the outer surface of the bowling ball 10 and the excess Wire 16 is cut otf below the surface of the thumb hole 16. The holes (not shown) for the other two fingers of the personis grip are then drilled at their proper position. In view of the bowling ball 10 being made of a clear, transparent plastic such as Lucite, the ornament 11 will be readily viewed from all sides of the bowling ball 10.

As shown by FIGURE 3 other designs or ornaments may be used to distinguish and beautify a bowling ball 20. The bowling ball 20 is provided with an ornament 21 consisting of a weighted ball 22 positioned at the precise center of the sphere forming the ball 20. There is a plurality of Wire supports 23 fastened at one end to the weighted ball 22 and extending radially outwardly at the ends of which is fastened a smaller ball 24 which may or may not be weighted but forming a part of the design of the ornament 21. Intermediate the ends of the Wire supports 23 is a small ball 34 and a pair of further support members or arcuate wires 25 which extend in an opposite direction to join the adjacent arcuate Wire 25, thereby further supporting the ornaments 24 and forming the artistic design as shown by FIGURE 3. In much the same manner as the ornament 11 of FIGURE 1 is supported in a mold prior to pouring the plastic material, the ornament 21 is supported by a support Wire 26 which extends from the center ball 22 to a distance beyond the periphery of the bowling ball 20. After the bowling ball has been poured and removed from the mold, the thumb hole 27 is bored at the position of the main support Wire 26 and the end of the wire 26 cut below the lower surface of the hole 27. In order to properly balance the bowling ball 20, a weighted ball 30 is placed intermediate the ends of the main support wire 26 since the thumb hole 27 is positioned radially thereof.

Also, if it is desired to personalize the bowling ball 20, the name of the owner of the bowling ball 20 may be placed on a third support member or Wire support 28 as shown at 29 and the ends of the Wire support 28 fastened to the balls 24. It is to be noted that any design or ornamentation may be formed in accordance with my invention to embellish and personalize a bowling ball.

Having disclosed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bowling ball having a substantially spherical and transparent body portion comprising weighted means positioned at substantially the center of said spherical body portion, a plurality of elongated support members extending radially from said weighted means, ornamental members mounted on the free ends of said elongated support members in spaced relation from the periphery of said spherical body portion, a shallow bore on the periphery of said spherical body portion and a second elongated support member vextending from said weighted means to said shallow bore for supporting said weighted means at the center of a mold in the production of said bowling ball.

2. The structure as Vrecited in claim 1 taken in combination with a third elongated support member extending between a plurality of said ornamental members adjacent the periphery of said spherical body portion and a plurality of letters mounted on said third elongated support member for personalizing said bowling ball and further support members extending between said first named elongated support members for further supporting said ornamental members.

References Cited i1y the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS' 2,859,039 11/58 Jerome 273-63 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,837 1939 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. IAMES W. LOVE, LOUIS R. PRINCE, E caminers; 

1. A BOWLING BALL HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY SPHERICAL AND TRANSPARENT BODY PORTION COMPRISING WEIGHTED MEANS POSITIONED AT SUBSTANTAILLY THE CENTER OF SAID SPHERICAL BODY PORTION, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBERS EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID WEIGHTED MEANS, ORNAMENTAL MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE FREE ENDS OF SAID ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBERS IN SPACED RELATION FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SPHERICAL BODY PORTION, A SHALLOW BORE ON THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SPHERICAL BODY PORTION AND A SECOND ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID WEIGHTED MEANS TO SAID SHALLOW BORE FOR SUPPORTING SAID WEIGHTED MEANS AT THE CENTER OF A MOLD IN THE PRODUCTION OF SAID BOWLING BALL. 